Digital Accessibility at UC Davis

Supporting Instructors Through the Shift to Digital Accessibility

Overview

Recent updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II require public colleges and universities to ensure that all digital communications, websites, and online instructional materials meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards.

The compliance deadline is April 24, 2026.

This site provides guidance and resources to support instructors and staff as we work toward meeting these requirements and building accessibility into our digital teaching, communications, and services. This site is an informational resource intended to support understanding and implementation of accessibility practices. It is not a substitute for legal advice or technical guidance and should not be relied upon as such. For legal or technical questions, please consult appropriate professionals.

By actively engaging with these resources, you are directly contributing to the University of California’s commitment to inclusion and equity and the UC Davis Principles of Community, ensuring that all members of our diverse community have equal access to education and campus life.

Thank you for your dedication to creating an inclusive and accessible campus for everyone.

Digital Accessibility Toolkit for Instructors

What’s Changing

In April 2024, the Department of Justice issued a final rule clarifying how ADA Title II applies to digital content provided by state and local governments, including public colleges and universities.

These updates affirm that accessibility in digital spaces is a civil right. They establish clearer standards for ensuring that websites, instructional materials, communications, and digital services are inclusive and usable for people with disabilities.

Compliance with these requirements is both a legal obligation and a critical step toward fostering an inclusive, equitable, and universally accessible educational environment.

Accessibility Standards At a Glance

WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Recent updates to ADA Title II emphasize enhanced standards for digital accessibility, requiring that digital communications, websites, and online educational materials meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are organized around four key principles, often referred to as POUR:

  • Perceivable – Information must be presented in ways people can perceive (e.g., text alternatives for images, captions for videos).
  • Operable – Interface elements must be usable by all, including with a keyboard or assistive technology.
  • Understandable – Content and navigation should be clear and predictable.
  • Robust – Content should work across current and future technologies, including assistive technologies.

WCAG Conformance Levels

WCAG 2.1 includes three levels of accessibility conformance:

  • Level A – Basic requirements (must have)
    Example: Captions on pre-recorded videos.
  • Level AA – Intermediate requirements (should have)
    Examples: Captions on live presentations, sufficient color contrast, descriptive links.
  • Level AAA – Advanced requirements (good to have)
    Not required for university compliance, but recommended for additional inclusivity.
     

UC Davis follows WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Who This Applies To

Faculty

Instructors are responsible for ensuring that instructional materials, such as Canvas sites, slides, readings, videos, and handouts, are accessible in both digital and print formats.

Students with disabilities must have equal access to course materials at the same time and with the same ease of use as others.

Staff

Staff share responsibility for ensuring that university communications, services, and digital content are accessible to all users, including students, employees, and members of the public.

This includes emails, forms, websites, documents, videos, and digital tools used for outreach, operations, and services.

Students

As members of a diverse learning community, students must also make their work accessible to their instructors and classmates. University staff and instructors should encourage and model best practices.

For instance, students making presentations in their classes should enable auto-captions, describe visuals on their slides, and share resources in accessible formats.

Get Started

Explore our online toolkit featuring a collection of step-by-step guidance, tools, and campus resources to support the creation of accessible course materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What digital content is covered by these ADA updates?
  • All digital content, including websites, Canvas sites, emails, course materials, documents, multimedia content, and other technology-mediated communications.
  • Who is responsible for compliance at UC campuses?
  • Compliance is a shared responsibility among instructors, staff, IT and web teams, and institutional leadership.
  • What does this mean for me?
  • Instructors and staff are responsible for ensuring that the digital content they create or manage is accessible. This includes instructional materials, documents, websites, emails, and multimedia content.

    Role-specific guidance is available on the Faculty and Staff pages, which provide step-by-step recommendations, tools, and examples tailored to common responsibilities.
  • How often do I need to review my materials for compliance?
  • Materials should be reviewed when new content is created or existing content is updated. Ongoing review is important, as changes to documents, websites, or Canvas sites can introduce accessibility issues.
  • What tools do I need to make my resources accessible?
  • Many accessibility tools are free and built into platforms like Canvas and Google Workspace. To assess and remediate PDFs, the paid version of Adobe Acrobat is required.
  • Where should I even begin?
  • WCAG 2.1 Level AA serves as the accessibility benchmark for ADA compliance. It is organized around four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).

    Level AA is the standard UC Davis follows and includes requirements such as accurate captions, sufficient color contrast, and descriptive links. Start small by reviewing one course, document, or webpage using built-in accessibility checkers.
  • (How) Does AI Fit In?
  • AI can be a powerful tool for improving digital accessibility, for example, by drafting captions, alt text, or checking color contrast, but it isn’t foolproof. Automated tools often miss context, nuance, or complex barriers that affect disabled users. That’s why human oversight is mandatory. Instructors must review and verify accessibility to ensure materials meet the standards required by the ADA Title II updates and are genuinely usable by all students.

Need Help?

Contacts for Support

UC Davis

  • Teaching/Course Design
    Submit a Consultation Request with the Center for Educational Effectiveness

  • Compliance Questions
    Brad Starkey-Owens, Digital Accessibility Program Manager, Office of Compliance and Policy

  • Academic Accommodation Questions
    Jennifer Billeci, Executive Director, Student Disability Center

  • Legal Questions
    Wendi Delmendo, Chief Compliance Officer, Office of Compliance and Policy

UCOP